Ceiling-plate.



No. 780,643 Q PATENTED JAN. 24, 19 05.

0.. H. EASTMAN.

CEILING PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 780,643. PATENTED JAN. 24, 1905.

C. H. EASTMAN.

CEILING PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\ UNITED STATES Patented January 24, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CEILING-PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,643, dated January 24, 1905.

Application filed Tune 8, 1903. Serial No. 160,588.

To all whm m it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs H. EASTMAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ceiling Plates, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a ceiling-plate which may be ornamental in character and shall be capable of simple and easy attachment and need not be put in place until the steam-fitting job is finished and may then be put in place by hand and without difficulty, as it remains always against the surface of the ceiling and does not project into it.

In describing my invention I shall use the two terms sleeve and thimble to indicate, respectively, the part which is permanently fixed to the ceiling and the floor above it and the thimble or the ornamental part which is added after the job is done; and my invention consists more especially in a thimble of peculiar construction and its com bination with a sleeve of peculiar character.

My invention will be understood by reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, of a portion of the sleeve in place and the thimble before being applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an under plan view of the thimble. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the parts in place, and Fig. 4 an under plan'view of the sleeve.

A is the sleeve, which serves as a hanger to which the ceiling plate is attached. It is preferably provided with a flange a at its upper end or with other means of attachment to the floor B above or other suitable support. This sleeve is preferably made of galvanized iron and is sufficiently long to extend from its point of attachment through the ceiling B, below which it projects, say, an inch or more. The lower end of this sleeve is provided with four slits, preferably of the same length, one pair on each side of the sleeve, so that portion of the end of the sleeve between each pair of slits may be turned outwardly to form a lug (0, these lugs being preferably opposite each other.

The thimble comprises two sections C, which may be shaped on their exterior in any ornamental manner and on their interior are provided with inclined grooves resembling sections of a screw-thread, the ribs 0, which separate the grooves, being adapted to engage with the lugs a of the sleeve. 1 By having these lugs on the same level the inclines in both sections may be made at the same angle, the two sections being, in fact, identical in character, so that if made of porcelain, as it now seems to me best to make them, or if cast in metal both sections may be made from the same pattern, this resulting in economy of manufacture. Each section has also a socket c 0 near each end of its upper surface and a groove 0 extending from each socket to the edge of the section, the grooves 0 in the abutting ends of the sections registering, and for the purpose of locking the two sections together after the sections have been placed about the pipe I prefer to provide staples D, the legs of which set into the sockets 0 c and the portion joining the legs lying in the grooves 0 I prefer also that each section shall be provided with a dowelpin cZ, extending from one of its ends and fitting into an opening d in the opposite section, so that when the sections are joined in place their ends will register. By this means the grooves o in theends of one section will be maintained in register with the grooves in the opposite section.

I have referred to the inclined grooves 0 in the interior of the thimble C as being separated by ribs 0. These ribs do not quite extend from one end to the other of the section of the thimble, but are cut away. so that when the sections are joined a groove 0 is formed at each junction parallel with the axis of the thimble, and this groove is made a little wider than the width of the lugs to projecting from the sleeve A, the purpose of this construction being to allow the thimble to be fitted together and then pushed up over the sleeve A against the ceiling B, the lugs moving in the grooves 0 Then by giving the thimble a portion of a turn the lugs to will take against the ribs 0 and the thimble will be clamped in place.

In constructing this ceiling-plate" it has been my desire to make a plate which shall be ornamental, shall not easily be discolored,

and shall not form any striking or unpleasant contrast with the color of the ceiling against which it is to be used. In fact, in view of its construction it may be made of any material suitable for the purpose and colored according to the color of the ceiling. As the two sections of the thimble are identical in structure, they may be made at little expense and with no fitting and need. not be attached to the sleeve until the job is practically finished and even then can be attached with the least possible difficulty, and when it is desired to recolor a ceiling the thimble may be easily removed and recolored or not, as may seem best, without requiring the assistance of skilled labor.

I prefer to use the staple D to hold the sections of the thimble together; but a quicklydrying cement may be used instead, if preferred, or some other means.

' In so far as I know' prior ceiling-plates have been attached directly to the steam-pipe. The disadvantage of this is that as the pipe expands and contracts it moves the plate a greater or less distance, always with some damage to the ceiling. It will be noted that with my ceiling-plate the thimble and pipe are absolutely independent, the thimble hanging from the sleeve. An air-space may be left between it and the pipe; but if this is not the case there will be plenty of opportunity for expansion and contraction of the pipe without affecting the ceiling-plate in any Way whatsoever. I

What I claim as my invention is.

1. A ceiling-plate structure comprising a one-piece sleeve to be hung by one end from a floor or other partition and to pass through and project for short distance beyond such partition in combination with a cylindrical piece or collar divided lengthwise into sections and of a size to pass over the sleeve and rest in contact with the partition through which the sleeve passes, and provided with means for engaging the sleeve to hold the same securely in the partition.

2. A ceiling-plate structure comprising a one-piece sleeve to be hung by one end from a floor or other partition and to pass through and project for a short distance beyond such partition, said sleeve having lugs turned up from the projecting end thereof, a cylindrical piece or collar divided lengthwise into sections and of a size to pass over the sleeve and rest in contact with the partition through which the sleeve passes, and provided with means to engage the lugs in the sleeve to hold the sleeve securely in the partition.

3. In a ceiling-plate structure, a cylindrical piece or collar adapted to be passed over a sleeve to be locked, and having a surface adapted to contact with a partition through which the sleeve passes, said collar being divided lengthwise into two separate pieces of identical form, the interior faces of which are grooved or threaded to engage the sleeve, and means for holding the sections together to form the complete collar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my name this 2d day of June, 1903,

CHARLES H. EASTMAN.

Witnesses:

PERCY N. KENWAY, GEORGE O. G. CoALE. 

